BEES dug themselves out of a hole at Foxhall Stadium last night to complete a clean sweep of 2001 victories over the Witches.

Andreas Jonsson emerged the star of the show as Bees hauled themselves back into the meeting after twice falling six points behind. The Swede's 15-point haul from six rides including one sublime pass of Craig Boyce in heat 12 as Bees finished with a flourish.

The victory means that Ipswich can't now finish above Coventry in the Elite League table, which means Witches skipper Chris Louis will have an interesting appointment with his barber at the end of the season.

He promised to have his head shaved if Ipswich failed to finish in the top three this year - and they can no longer do that.

Louis looked in good cheer when he won heat one for the Witches. Jarek Hampel was second going down the back straight, but ended up last after being passed by both Greg Hancock and Lee Richardson.

Billy Janniro, who switched from bike to bike all night, led heat two until his machine played up and both home riders swept past. But Jason Bunyan then suffered ignition problems and slowed to a halt on the third lap.

Jonsson won heat three at a canter and in the following race Janniro was still suffering with the gremlins and was slow away. Richardson took to the front in heat five until he suffered carburettor trouble on the back straight, but Ipswich gained control with a 5-1 from Louis and Hampel over Billy Hamill and Janniro in six.

In heat seven, a lightning gate from Jonsson inflicted a rare home defeat on Nicholls with tactical substitute Hancock third.

Jonsson, in as a tactical substitute himself in nine after an Ipswich 4-2 in eight, passed Craig Boyce on the second lap with Jeremy Doncaster doing well to hold off the Swede for second place.

Bees showed that they real-ly meant business in the following race when Janniro came to life to partner Jonsson home for a comfortable 5-1.

Jonsson again passed Boyce - this time against the fence in heat 12 on the second lap - to claim another three points in a race where Paul Lee stayed in because of Janniro's machinery problems.

Louis was racing for his hair in heat 13, but he ended up last with Nicholls catching the fast-gating Hancock for second place on the third and fourth bends.

Bunyan came in for Savalas Clouting in heat 14 but suffered engine problems on the first corner. With Richardson winning the heat, Ipswich required a 5-1 in the last race to draw the match.

With Louis and the flu-stricken Boyce not well enough to ride and Hampel not eligible, it was left to Doncaster to partner Nicholls, but Hamill and Jonsson set their stall to team ride and keep the 40-year-old at the back. It was a task they fulfilled comfortably before Doncaster packed up.